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Llew Tudur

Wood Carver

Llew Tudur is a wood carver from Wales. Since 1998, he has based his art on the Welsh tradition of lovespoon making, but with a modern twist.

Llew's style of lovespoon carving is inspired by the art of floriography; the secret language of flowers. By integrating this Victorian trend into his lovespoons he is able to complement the romantic symbolic messaging that is traditionally associated with Welsh lovespoons - which were historically given to lovers to signify promises of family, security, and love.

Llew carves all his lovespoons by hand from lime timber using traditional methods and tools. The majority of his lovespoons are carved from a single piece of wood. The strong but malleable nature of the lime timber gives him the freedom to work with intricate designs and fine detail which is essential to enable him to bring out the realism of the flowers through his carving. The natural grain of this type of timber also complements the botanical designs.

Llew aims to preserve this iconic Welsh tradition of lovespoon carving by bringing a delicate and modern aesthetic to his designs. He strongly believes that in order for this beautiful Welsh tradition to survive, it must evolve.
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Cerfiwr coed o Gymru yw Llew Tudur. Ers 1998, mae wedi seilio ei gelf ar y traddodiad Cymreig o wneud llwyau caru, ond gyda thro modern.

Mae arddull cerfio llwyau caru Llew wedi’i ysbrydoli gan grefft ffloriograffeg; iaith ddirgel blodau. Trwy integreiddio’r duedd Fictoraidd hon i’w lwyau caru mae’n gallu ategu’r negeseuon symbolaidd rhamantaidd a gysylltir yn draddodiadol â llwyau caru Cymreig – a roddwyd yn hanesyddol i gariadon i ddynodi addewidion o deulu, diogelwch, a chariad.

Mae Llew yn cerfio ei holl lwyau caru â llaw o bren pisgwydd gan ddefnyddio dulliau ac offer traddodiadol. Mae mwyafrif o’i lwyau caru wedi'u cerfio o un darn o bren. Mae natur gref ond hydrin y pren calch yn rhoi’r rhyddid iddo weithio gyda chynlluniau cywrain a manylder cain sy’n hanfodol i’w alluogi i ddod â realaeth y blodau allan trwy ei gerfiad. Mae grawn naturiol y math hwn o bren hefyd yn ategu'r dyluniadau botanegol.

Nod Llew yw gwarchod y traddodiad Cymreig eiconig hwn o gerfio llwyau caru trwy ddod ag esthetig cain a modern i'w ddyluniadau. Mae’n credu’n gryf, er mwyn i’r traddodiad Cymreig hardd hwn oroesi, fod yn rhaid iddo esblygu.